Cultural Storytelling at the Heart of Respectful and Safe Care for Aboriginal Peoples with Dementia in Mainstream Residential Care
Dianne Baldock Annie Thompson

Date and Time

Thursday, November 12, 2026, 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM

Theme / Track

Arts, design, innovation and technology

Presentation Format

Concurrent

This project represents a genuine revolutionary innovation in aged care where Aboriginal Elders lead the transformation - guiding non-Aboriginal staff through storytelling in a series of podcasts, and audio-visual vodcasts, to come together to learn, build respectful and caring relationships and share the cultural knowledge and framework needed for optimal, culturally safe care. As the aged care sector embraces the Ageing Revolution, this project seizes the opportunity to reimagine how non-Aboriginal staff learn to provide culturally safe care for Aboriginal peoples living with dementia in mainstream residential settings. Elders developed five 16-20 minute audio podcasts and complementary 10-minute vodcasts with stories promoting the importance of connection to Country; developing a cultural framework for proactive, holistic care; addressing the enduring impact of intergenerational trauma; the place of traditional medicine and healing alongside Western approaches; and ensuring culturally safe end-of-life care/entering the Dreaming. Elder-led storytelling, rich with allegory, metaphor, and deep spiritual connection to lands and waterways, offered non-Aboriginal staff an authentic and compelling way to reshape their thinking. Staff met with Elders to yarn about the project, spent eight weeks engaging with the podcasts and vodcasts and then met again with Elders to yarn about their experiences. This presentation shares the impact of this Elder-led journey: the thematic analysis of staff experiences, examples of the freely available podcasts and vodcasts, and the contribution of this innovative approach to implement genuine and lasting culturally respectful and safe care for Aboriginal peoples with dementia in mainstream aged care services.

Keywords

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, Dementia, Education and Training, Innovation, Technology

Authors

A/Prof Lynette Goldberg, Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Lyn.goldberg@utas.edu.au
Yasmin J Abdullah, University of Western Australia, yasminjill@hotmail.com
Dawn Gilchrist, University of Western Australia, ingadadawn@gmail.com
Leslie Dick, Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, leslie.ros.dick@gmail.com
Darren Holten, Booroongen Djugun Limited - Aged Care, darren.holten@booroongendjugun.com.au